China

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

Bangladesh

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

Politics

Science & Technology

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, leading to widespread destruction and killing at least 25 people, including at least three across the border in Thailand, with the death count still rising, The New York Times reported on March 28.

Myanmar: Largest Earthquake in Over a Century Kills Dozens, Imperils BRI Projects

On March 28, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first state visit, which began on March 26 and lasted four days, the Daily Star reported March 28.

Bangladesh, China: Yunus meets with Xi, Signing 8 MoUs and Deal on Economic and Technical Cooperation

Panama

United States

Hong Kong SAR, China

U.S.-China Relations

Chinese senior officials last week told state-owned enterprises to stop all business dealings with Li Ka-shing -- senior advisor to and former chairman of private, Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings -- and his family, according to Bloomberg sources on March 27.

China: Beijing Cuts State Sector Business with Li Ka-shing to Stop Port Deal

Japan

South Korea

South Korea's Oceans Minister Kang Do-hyung announced that the country had installed a floating platform in waters disputed with China in the Yellow Sea (which Seoul calls the West Sea), in response to China's recent installation of a steel structure in the same area, Reuters reported on March 26. 

China, South Korea, Japan: Maritime Spats Threaten Beijing's Diplomatic Window To Capitalize on Trump Tariffs

Cyber

Vietnam has approved a license for SpaceX's Starlink to operate internet services in a pilot program allowing up to 600,000 subscribers that will last through 2030, with no restrictions on foreign ownership, Reuters reported March 26. 

Vietnam: Hanoi Grants Starlink Five-Year License, Tariff Reductions on U.S. Imports

Venezuela

Spain

India

Energy

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media the imposition of 25% tariffs on all imports from countries that purchase Venezuelan oil and gas, Reuters reported on March 24.

U.S., Venezuela: 'Secondary' Tariffs Escalate Washington's Sanctions Policy

The Indian government decided not to extend its $23 billion production-linked initiative scheme aimed at incentivizing domestic manufacturing and luring companies away from China, limiting the program to its original 14 pilot sectors, Reuters reported on March 21. 

India: $23B Manufacturing Scheme To Lapse Following Shortcomings and Delays

Canada

China has executed four Canadian dual nationals thus far in 2025, all on unspecified drug-related charges, AP reported on March 19.

China, Canada: Ottawa Reveals Beijing's Executions of Four Dual Nationals This Year

Assessments

Turkey

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Ukraine

Russia

People wave flags and chant slogans during a protest in front of the municipality headquarters in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Global Trade

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. To Announce Tariffs, Protests in Turkey Rage On

Columns

On Geopolitics

Mexico

Europe

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office on March 7, 2025, after announcing that tariffs could be imposed on Canadian dairy and lumber products within days. 

The expanding scope of Trump's trade wars, coupled with the whiplash of tariffs being enacted and then suspended, begs the question: what is driving this strategy and what, if anything, will constrain it?

Trump's Emerging Trade Doctrine

Americas

Trump's trade and tariff policies will create new challenges for manufacturers seeking to move their operations closer to the U.S., but broader global dynamics will likely prevent a reversal in nearshoring trends. 

The Geopolitics of Trade: Rising Threats to Nearshoring in the Americas

A digital map illustration of Russia.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The White House believes that restoring ties with Moscow will help it negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine and, more importantly, undermine Russia-China relations in the long run. But numerous potential pitfalls mean this approach is unlikely to pay off.

The Rationale and Risks of Trump's Push to Reengage With Russia

The risk of significant unrest in China persists following the 2022 White Paper protests driven by continuing poor economic prospects.

The Lingering Risk of Protests in China

Snapshots

U.S. policy shifts under Trump and China's ongoing economic malaise will leave highly indebted, low-income countries at greater risk of financial and political distress over the next year.

U.S. and Chinese Economic Uncertainty Worsen the Global Macro Environment

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Timor-Leste

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

The flags of the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, are seen on display.

Malaysia's chairmanship will be pivotal in navigating security risks as well as those from U.S. trade restrictions, potential Chinese economic coercion, and supply chain realignments that threaten ASEAN's cohesion and strategic autonomy.

Previewing Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship

A map of the United States from 1897. While a revisionist America could lead to a more stable world order, it would be much more likely to lead to greater uncertainty, volatility, and conflict.

While a revisionist America could lead to a more stable world order, it would be much more likely to lead to greater uncertainty, volatility, and conflict.

What a Revisionist U.S. Foreign Policy Could Mean for the World

Israel

Palestinian Territories

A truck drives toward the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Blackpool, Canada, on Feb. 2, 2025.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: An EU Summit on Ukraine, U.S. Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China

Chinese President Xi Jinping (center) and other senior leaders applaud at the closing session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, or CPPCC, on March 10, 2024, in Beijing, China. 

The annual legislative conference will reveal more details on how China plans to support its sluggish economy and protect it from Western restrictions, though major stimulus measures remain unlikely.

China's 'Two Sessions' Meeting Will Shed Light on Economic Support, Trade Resilience Plans

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Georgia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (4th from left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (5th from left) attend a meeting in Moscow on April 22, 2024. 

Russia's influence in the South Caucasus is set to decline in the years ahead as countries adjust their foreign policies to balance global and regional powers, creating opportunities for China, Turkey and the West.

The Coming South Caucasus Realignment

A photo of the U.S. Capitol overlaid with a pixilated blue and red pattern.

The United States will continue to prioritize AI innovation over regulation, and the European Union is set to partially reconsider its rules amid a broader push to increase competitiveness. 

The Future of AI Regulation Under the West's New Leadership

<p>China is situated on the eastern third of the Eurasian landmass, between Russia, mainland Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Its more than 9,000 mile-long coastline abuts the Yellow, East and South China Seas. China is a country of deep geographic divisions. Most fundamental is the split between its fertile eastern lowlands and the arid, sparsely populated highlands that enclose the lowlands like a shell. More than a billion people live in the ethnic Han Chinese core, making it one of the most densely populated places on Earth. Traditionally, threats to China&#39;s Han core originated in the borderlands. To guard against overland invasion, successive Chinese rulers have sought to push the Core&#39;s borders outward &mdash;integrating these highlands as strategic &quot;buffer&quot; zones. These zones form a shield, protecting and containing the core. To be secure, China must control the buffer regions. But maintaining control of the regions, in turn, requires a strong and united core. And that means overcoming immense internal divisions &mdash; not only between northern and southern regions orbiting the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, but also between smaller regional units, each with their own geography, history, dialect and interests. Chinese history is defined by cycles of unity and fragmentation, from periods when a strong Han core captures and holds the surrounding buffers to those when a weak core breaks into its constituent parts, loses internal coherence and cedes control of the borderlands. This pattern, rooted in China&#39;s geography, has played out with remarkable consistency. By comparison, China&#39;s maritime interests have remained mostly limited to coastal waters. Today, however, growing international trade and rising Chinese reliance on overseas resources threaten to alter the pattern, adding a new maritime dimension to the struggle for buffer space &mdash; and potentially upending the long-standing dynamics of China&#39;s geographic challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Myanmar: Largest Earthquake in Over a Century Kills Dozens, Imperils BRI Projects

Bangladesh, China: Yunus meets with Xi, Signing 8 MoUs and Deal on Economic and Technical Cooperation

China: Beijing Cuts State Sector Business with Li Ka-shing to Stop Port Deal

China, South Korea, Japan: Maritime Spats Threaten Beijing's Diplomatic Window To Capitalize on Trump Tariffs

Vietnam: Hanoi Grants Starlink Five-Year License, Tariff Reductions on U.S. Imports

U.S., Venezuela: 'Secondary' Tariffs Escalate Washington's Sanctions Policy

India: $23B Manufacturing Scheme To Lapse Following Shortcomings and Delays

China, Canada: Ottawa Reveals Beijing's Executions of Four Dual Nationals This Year

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